Single Serve Option: 

Gather these ingredients to make one serving in an 8-10oz glass

1/3 cup ice

6 frozen cranberries

1/2 orange juiced

1/4 cup pure cranberry juice (not from concentrate)

sparking water to fill to the rim

1 rosemary sprig

Add everything to a glass in this order, stir and enjoy

Large Pitcher Option (multiply for larger pitcher): 

2 cups ice

1 cup frozen cranberries

2 oranges juiced

1 cup pure cranberry juice (not from concentrate)

sparking water to fill to the rim

rosemary sprigs for garnish

Add everything to a glass in this order, stir and enjoy!

The holidays are around the corner and I am pumped for all the holiday cookies recipes to come! There is something about a soft-baked cookie, a glass of nut milk, and a holiday hallmark movie.

These cookies are gluten-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made vegan friendly.

Ingredients/ Directions

DRY

To make this, set your oven to 325 degrees.

Mix the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients in separate bowls. Then add the dry into the wet and whisk well. Add in white chocolate chips & macadamia nuts and mix again. Using a cookie spoon, spoon out 2 tbsp pieces of dough onto a lined cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. You can check at 10 by sticking a toothpick into the cookie to see if anything comes off on the toothpick.

I find they are best at 10 minutes.

With so many delicious recipes on the internet, I have always found it hard to find a single-serve go-to recipe to make on nights where it’s just me.

If you are looking for a comforting & quick throw it together meal at the end of the day I got you! This single-serving Pumpkin Vodka Pasta can be made in 15 minutes and with minimal ingredients. Double the portion to serve to two or triple the portion to serve to three.

You will need: 

1 tbsp EVOO or avocado oil

1/4 small red onion diced

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tbsp tomato paste

2 tbsp pumpkin puree

1/2 cup unsweetened cashew milk

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

cooked pasta of choice

1 tbsp reserved pasta water

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley  (optional)

To make:

Cook pasta accordingly (I used Banza’s Bowties) & reserve 1 tbsp of pasta water before straining.

In a sauce skillet, heat oil. Add onions and saute until translucent.

Add spices ( red pepper, garlic, oregano) and use a rubber spatula to move spices around for a few seconds.

Add tomato paste, pumpkin pure, cashew milk, and pasta water and mix again.

Pour strained pasta over the sauce & add fresh parsley.

Add salt and pepper to taste, enjoy!

These muffins are inspired by my carrot cake muffin recipe! The carrot cake muffins came out so good I wanted to play around with swapping the carrots for apples and see how they’d come out. Super happy with the final product!

What’s pretty cool is you can now make apple muffins + carrot cake muffins at the same time for your family and let them choose which ones to enjoy each day. Make the same batter wet and dry and instead of adding carrots or apples you can split the batter in half and add 3/4 cup carrots to one bowl + 3/4 apples to the other. The nuts are an option should you choose to use walnuts or pecans if combinding the two.

These muffins are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made vegan friendly too!

If were making apple spiced only muffins follow the guidelines below!

You’ll need: 

1 1/2 cup chopped apples

1/2 cup Grass-fed butter, ghee, or vegan butter (room temp for easy mixing)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg (or one flax egg if vegan)

1 cup almond or cassava flour

2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Optional: Simple Mills Vanilla Icing + more pecans for topping

To make: (makes 10-12)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line the muffin tray with muffin cups

Chop apples and set aside

In a mixer mix butter, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, egg or flaxseed egg.

Remove the bowl, add the dry ingredients, and mix with a rubber spatula until form.

Toss in pecans and apples

Spoon into 12 muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes

Cool for 15 minutes to set

Enjoy as-is or spoon some simple mills icing for a delicious twist on a healthy dessert.

with toasted pecans, need I say more?! 

I have been on a bit of a baking kit lately with this fall weather. It seems to have gone from 90 degrees in New Jersey to 60 real quick but I’m not mad about it. Most people who know me know that fall is my favorite season for many reasons, fall baking being one of them. So cozy up to a good movie, crack open your windows, pop this bread in the oven and enjoy a sweet treat with your family! I also love having a slice for breakfast with some cashew or pecan butter, mhmm!

Tag me on IG if you make this so I can share your creations!

This pumpkin bread is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and dairy-free too! It can be made vegan by substituting the honey for maple syrup, the eggs for flax eggs, and the ghee for additional nut butter.

You will need: 

1/2 cup pumpkin pure

1/2 cup mashed ripe banana

1/4 cup melted ghee ( I love using fourth and heart vanilla ghee)

1/4 cup cashew butter

1/4 cup raw honey

4 eggs or flax eggs

1/2 tsp vanilla

—

1/2 cup coconut flour

1/2 cup almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp pumpkin spice

pinch or two of salt

—

1/2 cup chopped pecans

To make: 

Preheat the oven to 350 & line a loaf pan with parchment paper

In two separate bowls mix dry ingredients & wet ingredients

Add wet into dry and mix well by hand

Last, add the pecans and pour over the loaf pan

Bake for 45 minutes, check with a toothpick, and if anything comes back on the toothpick bake another 5 minutes and keep checking until done.

These muffins are gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and can be made vegan friendly too! 

You’ll need: 

1 1/2 cup grated carrots

1/2 cup Grass-fed butter, ghee, or vegan butter (room temp for easy mixing)

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 large egg (or one flax egg if vegan)

1 cup almond or cassava flour

2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 cup walnuts

Optional: Simple Mills Vanilla Icing + more walnuts for topping

To make: (makes 10-12)

Preheat the oven to 350 and line the muffin tray with muffin cups

Grate carrots and set aside

In a mixer mix butter, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, maple syrup, egg or flaxseed egg.

Remove the bowl, add the dry ingredients, and mix with a rubber spatula until form.

Toss in walnuts and carrots

Spoon into 12 muffin cups and bake for 30 minutes

Cool for 15 minutes to set

Enjoy as-is or spoon some simple mills icing for a delicious twist on a healthy dessert.

Pumpkin Spice Matcha

As I explained in my “Guide to Matcha” blog  … Matcha Mornings have been a daily ritual of mine for some time now and I absolutely love how I feel after starting my day with this delicious drink. I feel instantly alert, focused, and yet still calm at the same time. The L-Theanine in Premium Ceremonial Grade Japanese Matcha helps one achieve an alert but stable and relaxed mental state even when  under stress or working on demanding tasks. L-Theanine has also been shown to boost alpha brain power by +75 percent, just wow.

With us moving into the breezy fall season, pumpkin spice is in the air! What better than a Pumpkin Spice inspired Matcha Latte! Since the first of September I have had fall fever & moved right into upgrading my matcha to reflect that. I created a creamy & delicious Pumpkin Spice Matcha to share & it is super easy to whip together.

You’ll need: 

Hot Water (Not boilng, I explain why in my Matcha Blog )

Ceremonial Grade Matcha (I choose @organicburst)

1 tbsp pured Pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1/2 tsp Pumpkin spice

1/2 tbsp coconut butter

1 scoop vital proteins collagen creamer or a few splashes of plant based nut milk

To make: 

Sift 1 tsp of matcha powder into a matcha bowl

Then pour 4 ounces of hot water (not boiling)

Use a bamboo whisk and whisk quickly back and fourth to create a foam

Add remaining ingredients + another 4-6 ounces hot (not boiling) water

Whisk with an electric whisk

Enjoy!

Preferred Brand: 

I choose Organic Burst because of the exceptional quality of their matcha. When you open the Matcha you can 100% see the quality of their product with their bright florescent lime green color. High quality matcha should be a vibrant green color (not light & faded).

Some other reasons why I choose this brand

• They pick from the 1st spring harvest when the tea leaves are the most nutrient dense (the time where most tea masters will also harvest their leaves).
• Their Matcha is steamed to avoid oxidation other than most store brands which are roasted or pan fried. Steaming the leaves stops oxidation and protects us from free radical damage.
• They use the top 4 leaves for the highest L-Theanine which also gives their matcha a sweet and smooth taste making it less bitter.
• They specially mill their power with ultra fine milling to make it more bioavailable but also allow you to skip the sifting step when making your matcha tea at home.
• They are made to order and the leaves are only milled 2 weeks prior to a restock ensuring the best most fresh quality (no long shelf life).
• They grow in rich soil in the volcanic region of Japan where the soil is exceptionally dense and rich in minerals.
• They do not use pesticides and ensure they are distances from any other tea regions which are non-organic so wind can not carry any pesticides over to their farms.
• When purchasing you are supporting local families in need. Japanese tea growing families, after many generations, are being forced to close their farms but Organic burst supports these family growers and helps them preserve their heritage.

Gluten-free, Refined Sugar-free, Vegan Friendly 

Tis the season for pumpkin everything! As much as I love summer, fall is my absolute favorite.  I love the breeze, changing of the leaves, cuddling up to a cup of tea, and of course seasonal flavors.

These cookies come out so soft from the pumpkin puree and have the perfect fall twist to the traditional chocolate chip cookie. Gather a few wholesome ingredients and get ready for your entire kitchen to smell like fall!

Tag me at @nutritionbysam when you make them, I can’t wait for you to share them with your friends and family. They make the perfect seasonal and holiday treat!

Ingredients 

1/4 cup butter or ghee (I really like the vanilla bean ghee from fourth and heart)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup of coconut sugar

1 egg or flaxseed egg

1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1 1/2 cup blanched almond flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips or HU gems

To make: 

Whisk together the butter/ghee, vanilla, sugar, egg/flax egg, and pumpkin

Add dry ingredients and mix well again

Lastly, add in the chocolate chips

Add dough to the fridge for 20 minutes to set

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Scoop cookie dough onto the cookie sheet leaving 2-3 inches apart from each cookie

The dough should make about 12 large cookies or 14 medium cookies

I like to add a few more chocolate chips on top

Bake for 15 minutes.

And just when I thought my blondies could not get better, this happened. 

I don’t know what it is with me but I feel like some of my favorite recipes start off as mishaps! I was preparing to make gingerbread cookies today when I realized I was half way out of my ghee and had no vegan butter. Usually I always have backups but I think the holidays put me out of my loop. Needing of something sweet for our Netflix binge tonight I decided to whip up blondes… and then it hit me — Gingerbread blondes!

Basically they are the same as my chocolate chip blondies but with a few additions and leaving out the chocolate chips. If you have tried my blondies recipe and love it then I highly recommend giving these gingerbread blondes a try!

Heres how it’s done.

You will need:

Gluten free flour mix (1/4 cup almond, 1/2 cup oat or millet, 2 tbsp coconut)

2 tbsp arrowroot starch

1/4 tsp pink salt

1  tsp cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup non dairy milk (I used homemade almond)

2 tbsp pure maple syrup or agave

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 tbsp flaxseeds ground

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup cashew butter

To make: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 6-7 pan with parchment paper

Mix together the dry ingredients: Gluten free flour mix, salt, starch, spices, baking soda.

Mix together the wet ingredients: nut milk, cashew butter, coconut sugar, ground flaxseeds, cashew butter, vanilla, maple or agave.

Smear the batter on top of the pan lined with parchment paper, its super sticky so this may take a minute or two but it will spread evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes. Check. You may need to bake 5 minutes more. Check with a toothpick to see if nothing comes back on it your done. Otherwise bake 5 minutes more.

Let cool for 5-10 minutes & serve with a glass of nut milk, ice cream, or eat as is.

]]> http://nutritionbysam.com/gingerbread-blondes/feed/ 0 http://nutritionbysam.com/raw-vegan-carrot-cake-bars/ http://nutritionbysam.com/raw-vegan-carrot-cake-bars/#respond Sun, 24 Nov 2019 17:59:29 +0000 https://nutritionbysam.com/?p=12021  

Raw Vegan Carrot Cake Bars

Surprise your friends & family this holiday season with these delicious raw vegan carrot cake bars. The bars have a coconut carrot walnut base with a cashew cream cheese topping and a full of nutritious ingredients and anti inflammatory spices.

One slice of carrot cake has about 360 calories (which most ingredients are empty calories) meaning they have little to no nutritional value but contribute to excess calories and weight gain. The typical American diet is full of processed foods containing empty calories with high amounts of fat, sugar and salt. Although carrot cake may sound healthy, carrots are not the only ingredients in the cake. The typical carrot cake has high amounts of granulated sugar, vegetable oil, and white flour.

One of my passions over the years has became taking recipes that are full of empty calories and turning them into REAL food recipes with high nutritional value.

This raw carrot cake takes about 30 minutes to put together with an overnight freeze and can be made in advance and left in the freezer for up to two weeks.

You will need: 

Carrot cake base

2 cups of carrots (buy shredded for a faster prep or peel shred on cheese grater)

1.5 cups of walnuts

10-12 pited medjool dates

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1.4 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp sea salt

Cashew Frosting 

1.4 cups cashews (soaked for at least 30 minutes and rinsed/ drained)

3 tbsp real maple syrup

1 tsp vanilla extract

juice of one lemon + 1/4 tsp zest from lemon

pinch of sea salt

1/3 cup melted coconut oil

1/8 cup water or coconut milk milk.

To make: 

For the base… prep carrots and set aside.

In a food processor pulse pitted dates then add walnuts and pulse again.

Add coconut, carrots, spices, and pulse a few times until combined. Do not blend on low or high, just pulse so the carrots and coconut flakes stay more intact and bind the ingredients together. This should be about 3 or 5 of four second pulses.

Once combined, take carrot cake base and smooth it over a 6-6 pan lined with parchment paper. Move onto the frosting while the base sits in the freezer for 10 minutes.

For the frosting… Combine all frosting ingredients in a high speed blender. Pour over carrot cake base and smooth.

Optional: Top with walnuts, coconut flakes, or chopped raisons

Freeze over night, cut into squares, and defrost 1 hour before serving. Best if defrosted in the fridge.